Future business leaders pitched ideas to Plymouth businessman Chris Dawson for a competition to mark the launch of his 100th store.

Budding business leaders have worked
with one of Plymouth’s most successful entrepreneurs on a special competition
to mark the opening of his 100th store.

Chris Dawson, founder and owner of The
Range, agreed to team up with the Futures Entrepreneurship Centre at Plymouth
University to judge a project designed to inspire its students.

The competition was open to those
participating in Futures’ BETA Enterprise Programme, with the students having
to write a one-page business plan based on a product or service they have been
developing.

The top three students – Gideon Asamoah,
William Cowie and Feyikunmi
Ogunyeye – had to give a presentation of their
plans to Mr Dawson at his company’s headquarters, with all three invited to the
opening of The Range’s new store in Peverell, Plymouth, where he presented winner
Gideon Asamoah with his prize.

Chris
Dawson said:

“We asked the University to get involved with the launch of our
100th store as I was keen to have the next generation of budding entrepreneurs
join me at this milestone opening. The three presentations were very
professional and I could tell that each student was very passionate about their
idea. Each idea had strong merits and I could see all three of them taking off
in the next few years. I chose Gideon’s idea because I felt not only was it the
strongest and most thorough pitch, but the concept has real potential to branch
out into other aspects of their industry.”

Gideon, a BSc (Hons) Economics with
Politics undergraduate, wrote the business plan for a
personalised app or website designed to make event planning easier and more
efficient, wherever you are in the UK.

After being selected as the winner, he
said:

“The Range competition gave me the opportunity to showcase a vision
which had been on my mind for over a year. I had started the groundwork but the
competition allowed me to develop my presentation, networking and
entrepreneur​ship skills. Meeting a billionaire and talking to him about my
dreams, aspirations and goals made me realise anything is possible and that I
will definitely be successful. I would recommend this competition to anyone who
has an idea which they feel can change the world we live in.”

The BETA project
initially provided a number of students with a grant of £1,500 to take an idea
and explore avenues through which they might create their own small business. As
well as the financial support, they receive individual mentoring to help them
recognise and overcome potential pitfalls and develop enterprises with the
ability to succeed and grow.

It
is one of many initiatives created by the Futures Entrepreneurship Centre which
aims to provide a creative and social space where entrepreneurship and social
enterprise can flourish.

And in September 2015,
it will launch a two-year intensive degree course – BSc (Hons) Business
Enterprise and Entrepreneurship – focussed on giving graduates the expertise
and experience with which to create and grow their own companies, or work
effectively in larger organisations.

Dr Emily Beaumont, Lecturer in
Entrepreneurship and Programme Leader for the new course, said:

“The BETA
Project and The Range competition are some of the many exciting opportunities that
are available to students on the BSc (Hons)
Business Enterprise and Entrepreneurship course. Through all this our aim is to
provide students with the expertise to establish their own company, or
confidently step into a range of entrepreneurial careers within organisations
across the entire business world.”